Why Helping Sucks

I watched more than a few of my neighbors try and half-ass dig out the alley behind our building after last week's blizzard, and even though it's usually funny to watch other people struggle, I figured I could do the neighborly thing and help out.

After 3 hours of shoveling some heavy, ice-filled snow, we dug out the alley well enough that people could drive out, dump trucks could get in, etc. I got a hearty thank-you from the neighbors and somebody in the building even brought out brownies for us while we were working. I felt like #1 Neighbor Helper Guy, and slept well that night.

I've pretty much been crippled ever since. My back, shoulders, legs, etc., haven't been this sore in a long, long time. I basically have to stand up in stages when I get out of bed b/c I can't stand up straight right away.

The lesson, as always, is that helping sucks. Next time those punks can wait for the snow to melt, like Mother Nature intended.

More Pictures of Snow

I know, I know, it's another picture of snow. But it's really an incredible amount of snow. The wind today is just brutal, too. It makes me wonder how anyone lives in Chicago. F the wind.

The alley full of snow is kinda creepy at night. Ok, creepier.

Round 2

After getting blasted with an assload* of snow on Friday and Saturday, DC started digging out on Monday and Tuesday, to the point I could even walk down the alley behind my place without much problem.

Then we get another blasting of snow (around 12 inches), this time with 40 mph winds as a nice topper. The alley is again pretty much covered, now with waist-deep drifts and the wind blowing snow from every direction. It's pretty much the burliest snow I've even seen, and has just ground DC to a complete halt. I've been to work once this week, and with my office closed again tomorrow, I'll be lurking in my place for at least one more day.

*around 26 inches

snowtoriousBIG

After listening to DC weather people lose their minds over the potential for record-setting snowfall, I figured we were just going to get a little dusting. Turns out I was wrong.

DC got blasted the last 2 days with somewhere around 26" of snow. And it's real fluffy, heavy snow, too, so trees are collapsing, power lines are down, all that good stuff.

I got out and lurked around the 'hood today, and just walking around was crazy. Huge drifts everywhere, cars buried, etc., but a lot of people were still out trying to see what was up. Part of what was up was a 2000+ person snowball fight at Dupont Circle, which really was more like 40 50-person snowball fights, but whatever. It was a lot of people throwing lots of snow around. And for the record, this snow is excellent snowball-making snow.

I'm a little disappointed that we didn't go into full anarchy immediately, but there's still another day or two for society to (hopefully) break down. I've got my loincloth and other gear ready.